Trunk latch



Aug. ll, 1925.

1,549,505 M. RASMUSSEN TRUNK LATCH Fiied Nov. 5. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I l l.

O INVENTOR.

A'TT RNEYSF &

' 1,549,505 RASMUSSEN TRUNK LAT C H Filed Nov. 1923 2 Sheetse 2 INVENTOR- ORNEYG Patented Aug. 11, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN RASMUSSEN, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO'HARTMANN TRUNK COM- PANY, 0F RACINE, WISCONSIN,

A. CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

TRUNK LATCH.

Application filed November ToaZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN RAsMUssnN, a citizen of the United States, and residentofRacine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trunk Latches, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

which are a part of this specification.

Th1s inventlon relates to improvements in .trunk latches,more particularly adapted for wardrobe trunks requiring more than one look.

Wardrobe trunks are divided vertically medially of their length into two sections which are hinged together and are adapted vto be swung laterally toopen position. One of the sections is divided into drawer and other compartments and the other section is adapted to hold the wardrobe and is pro- 'vided with fixed and extensible tracks for holding garment hangers thereon.

Said wardrobe-section is usually open at its upper end and is provided with a top cover hinged to one of the sections. It is customary to provide a latch for the two sections and a lock for thetop cover. To simplify the lockingof the latch and the lock, it is desirable to actuate one of the members in a manner other than by a key.

Itis one of the objects ofthe present in-.

vention to provide a trunk latch for the trunk sections which is controlled by the movement of the top cover to open or closed position.

A further object of'the invention is to pro vide a trunk latch whichis adapted to draw the trunk sections into intimate contact with each other during the locking operation and to force the-sectionsapart during the unlocking operation.

A further object of the invention is .to provide a trunk latch in which the power exerted during the locking operation is posi- 'tively increased the closer the trunk sections are drawn together.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trunk latch which is of simple construction, is strong and durable, and is well adapted for the purpose described.

\Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved trunk latch audits parts and combinations as set 5, 1923. 'Serial'No. 672,892.

thereof.

In the accompanying drawing, in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. l is a front view, in open position, of a wardrobe trunk provided with the improved latch for locking the sections together;

Fig. 2 is an inner View on a larger scale of the latch with parts removed and other parts in section, parts being shown in locked posltion;

Fig. 3 is an inner view of fragmentary parts of the trunk section and the latch mounted therein, the parts being shown in open position;

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view taken on lined-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a modified form of actuating member; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view taken on line 6-6of Fig. 5.

Referringto the'drawings, the numeral 8 indicates the drawer section of a wardrobe trunk, 9 the wardrobe sectionhingedthereto, and 10 the top cover which is hinged to said drawer section. The top cover is provided with a keyed hasp lock 11 adapted to lockingly engage an escutcheon plate 12 mounted on the drawer section when the two sections and the top cover are in closed position. The lowerside edge portion of the drawer section is recessed, as indicated by the numeral 13, and an-escutcheon plate 14 is extended over the edge and recessed part. Said escutcheon plate is provided with edge openings 15 and a transverse locking lug 16 adapted to be engaged by the dogs 17 of the latch 18111011111366. in arecessed edge portion 19 of the wardrobe section 9. The casing 20 of the latch overlapsboth sides and the edge of the trunk section and is riveted thereto. A slidable member 21 positioned within the casing is formed with semi-circular edgere cesses 22 into which pivotally extend the inner rounded ends 23 of the locking dogs 17. The outer end portions of the dogs are formed with locking shoulders'24 which engage the lug 16in drawing and locking the two sections together. Outer medial portions of the dogs are formed with recesses 25 to permit the dogs to swing away from each other to open position while medial inner edge portions of the dogs have cam P130180- tions 26 formed thereon which engage a transverse lug 27 and force said dogs to swing outwardly to open position, as shown in Fig. 3. The slidable member 21 is guided in the casing 20 and at its rear portion 1s provided with rack teeth 28 which are in mesh with the segmental gear teeth 29 on the inner end of the lever 30 to reciprocate said member 21. The lever 30 is pivoted in the casing and is formed with an elongated opening 31 to receive the inwardly extending pin and roller 32 ot the operating bar 33. Said pin also extends through a down wardly inclined elongated opening 34 in the casing which guides the pin 32 toward the outer end of the lever 30 when pushed downwardly, thus increasing the leverage in moving the dogs to locking position. The pin projects from and is carried by the lower end of the operating bar and the upper end of said bar is provided with a knob or rounded end 33 which is engaged by a plate 35 mounted on the inner side of the top cover 10 when said cover is swung to closed position. Guides 36 and 37 guide the bar 33 and the guide 37 encloses a coiled spring 38 which encircles the bar and is interposed between the lower end of the guide and a collar 39 fixed to the bar to normally hold the bar in its upper position when the top cover is in open position.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the rack teeth and segmental teeth are omitted and in lieu thereof, the lever 30 is of bell crank form and its short arm 40 is provided with an antifriction roller 11 which enters a rounded recess 42 in the slidable member 21 to reciprocate said member. As thus constructed, the downward movement of the bar will first cause the dogs 17 to swing to closed position and engage the lug 16 of the drawer section and draw said section toward the other section and as the I bar continues its downward movement, the

pin and roller of the bar will be guided toward the outer end of the lever and the increased leverage will draw the sections together with increased power. Likewise, when the top cover is opened, the spring will force the bar upwardly and the outward movement of the dogs will force the sections apart with the most power at the start of the movement, when the most power is required.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the trunk latch is of very simple construction and provides a latch which is substantially flush with the outer surface of the trunk.

hat I claim as my invention is;

1. The combination with a trunk having a plurality of hinged together sections, of means operable by the movement of one of said sections for latching the other sections,

said means positively increasing in power toward the completion of the latching movement.

2. The combination with a trunk having two hinged together sections and a hinged top cover for one 01 said sections, of means operable by the top cover for latching the two sections together, said means comprising a latch and a casing having an elongated angularly extending opening, and a bar extending from the top cover to the elongated opening and having a portion extending through said opening and engaging the latch for actuating said latch when the top cover is swung to open or closed position.

3. The combination with a trunk having two hinged together sections and a hinged top cover for one of the sections, of a means for latching the two sections together, comprising an escutcheon plate mounted on one of the sections, a latch mounted on the other section and having a casing provided with an angularly extending elongated opening, said latch also having a pair of locking dogs engageable with the escutcheon plate, a reciprocal member within the casing and to which the dogs are pivotally connected, a lever fulcrumed in the casing for moving the reciprocal member and having an elongated opening in register with the elongated opening of the casing, a bar having a lower portion extending through both elongated openings and extending upwardly to a point to be pushed downwardly when the top cover is swung to closed position, and means yieldingly maintaining the bar in its upper posi tion.

4:. The combination with a trunk having two hinged together sections and a hinged top cover for one of the sections, of a means for latching the two sections together by the closing movement of the top cover, com prising an escutcheon plate mounted on one of the sections, a latch mounted on the other section and having a casing provided with an angularly extending elongated opening, said latch also having a pair of locking dogs which engage the escutcheon plate, a recip rocal toothed member within the casing and to which the dogs are pivotally connected, a lever fulcrumed in the casing and having segmental gear teeth in mesh with the teeth of the reciprocal member and also having an elongated opening extending approxlmately transversely to the casing opening, a bar positioned within the sect-ion and having at its lower end a pin extending through both elongated openings and movable toward the outer end of the lever when pushed downwardly, and a coiled spring for yieldingly maintaining the bar in its upper p0 sition.

5. A trunk latch comprising a casing having flanges for connection with a trunk part and also having an angularly extending elogated opening in one side Wall of the we ing, a toothed reciprocal member Within the casing and having circular recesses, locking dogs slidably extending into the casing and having rounded portions extending into the circular recesses, a lever pivotally positioned within the casing and having a segmental gear portion in mesh with the teeth of the reciprocal member and also having an elongated opening adjacent the opening in the casing, a bar adjacent the casing and having a pin extending through the casing and the lever openings, and a spring for holding the bar yieldingly in an upper position.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

MARTIN RASMUSSEN. 

